attempt

Meanings

1. To try.
2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
3. To try to win, subdue, or overcome.
4. To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.
5. To make a substantial but unsuccessful effort (to commit a crime).

1. The action of trying at something.
2. An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt.
3. A substantial but unsuccessful effort (to commit a crime).
4. An act of trying to commit suicide

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin temptō Latin attemptōder. Old French atempterbor. Middle English attempten English attempt Late 14th century, as Middle English attempten, from Old French atempter, from Latin attemptō (“to try, solicit”), from ad- (“to”) + temptō; see tempt. The noun is from the 1530s, the sense "an assault on somebody's life, assassination attempt" (French attentat) is from 1580. By surface analysis, at- + tempt.